[Pneumonitis caused by gold salts in psoriatic arthritis: report of 2 cases].

The gold-salts compounds have been used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and of psoriatic arthritis, they are generally tolerates and when have adverse effects they are minor. The gold-induced lung toxicity is a infrequent adverse effect of patients with rheumatoid arthritis characterized by three types: interstitial penumonitis, bronchiolitis obliterans with organizing pneumonia and bronchiolitis obliterans, usually the first is the more frequent. The diagnostic is supported by the clinical manifestations, chest roentgenogram, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and chest computed tomography scan. Biopsy study of the lung, is only needed for exclusion of other pulmonary disease. The gold-induced lung toxicity in the psoriatic arthritis is rarelly described, we report two cases with gold-induced pneumonitis with benign clinical course after cessation of therapy and treatment with corticosteroids.